Space To Wavelength Superchannel Conversion
An apparatus inputs an input configured to receive an input optical signal, and an output configured to output an output optical signal. A superchannel converter is coupled between the input and the output. The superchannel converter is configured to convert N spatial modes of the input optical signal to M spatial modes of the output optical signal.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
an input configured to receive an input optical signal;
an output configured to output an output optical signal;
a superchannel converter configured to convert N spatial modes of the input optical signal to M spatial modes of the output optical signal.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the superchannel converter is configured to convert an N-mode space superchannel to a wavelength superchannel that includes a corresponding plurality of wavelength channels.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the superchannel converter is configured to convert an N-mode space superchannel to an M-mode space/wavelength superchannel, wherein at least one mode of the M-mode space/wavelength superchannel includes a plurality of wavelength channels.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the wavelengths of the converted space/wavelength superchannel are mode-locked.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the superchannel converter is configured to perform optical-electrical-optical conversion of the input optical signal to the output optical signal.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the superchannel converter is configured to optically shift each of a plurality of the N spatial modes of the input optical signal from an input frequency to a corresponding output frequency.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the optical frequency shift is performed by four-wave mixing (FWM) or parametric amplification.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the superchannel converter is further configured to convert a plurality of wavelength channels of a spatial superchannel to a wavelength superchannel.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the wavelength channels have different center wavelengths.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input optical waveguide coupled to the input and an output optical waveguide coupled to the output.
11 . A method, comprising:
configuring a superchannel converter to receive an input optical signal having N spatial modes and to output an optical signal having M spatial modes; and
configuring the superchannel converter to convert the N spatial modes of the input optical signal to the M spatial modes of the output optical signal.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the superchannel converter to convert an N-mode space superchannel to a wavelength superchannel that includes a corresponding plurality of wavelength channels.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the superchannel converter to convert an N-mode space superchannel to an M-mode space/wavelength superchannel, wherein at least one mode of the M-mode space/wavelength superchannel includes a plurality of wavelength channels.
14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wavelengths of the converted space/wavelength superchannel are mode-locked.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the superchannel converter to perform optical-electrical-optical conversion of the input superchannel to the output superchannel.
16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the superchannel converter to optically shift each of a plurality of the N spatial modes of the input superchannel from an input frequency to a corresponding output frequency.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a four-wave mixing (FWM) or parametric amplifier is configured to perform the optical frequency shift.
18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the superchannel converter to convert a plurality of wavelength channels of a spatial superchannel to a wavelength superchannel.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the wavelength channels have different center wavelengths.
20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling an input optical waveguide to the input and coupling an output optical waveguide to the output.